8/14/2019 MSU CID Poster

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A reflection on participation in the CID: Improvement in graduate student trainthrough increased student involvement and ownership

Katharine Northcutt1, Deborah Soellner1, Jessica Poort1, Michael Schwartz2, and Cheryl Sisk11Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

2Biology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

The Michigan State University Neuroscience Program (NSP) participated in the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID) from 2003-2005. The CID

program-wide discussions about improvements to the training program, and how to actively include NSP students in the training process. One of the m

and extensive changes to result from these discussions involves the organization and content of Research Forum, our weekly professional developmencourse.

Format Changes

Examples of Research Forum Sessions

Primary Outcomes

Students feel more involved in program and are

more interested because they choose topics of

relevance to them

Students gain organizational experience and feel

responsible for success of each session

Topics that students particularly enjoyed last year: student research presentations and critiques guide for starting first faculty position grant writing workshop career panels discussions about balancing career and family

Topics reflect issues important to the students in

attendance and change annually

Long Term Outcomes

Students become active participants i

education

Increases student involvement in the

Students are better prepared to organ

seminar course during their career

Students are more prepared to make

about future career and life plans

Greater faculty involvement due to stu

requests for them to speak on different

RevisedPrevious

Stage-appropriate

attendance requirement

based on year in

program and topic

Consistent attendance

required of all students

Broad range of topicsTopics focus onsucceeding in academia

Student organizedFaculty organized

Student chosen topicsFaculty chosen topics

Succeeding in Graduate School Student research presentations and peer critiques Teaching workshop Grant writing workshop Manuscript writing workshop Guide for rotations and picking thesis advisor Information on finding grants and awards Comprehensive examination preparation

Career Preparation Career panel with people from diverse academic

and non-academic backgrounds Workshop on networking Workshop on developing skills for academic and

non-academic jobs Panel discussion on successfully beginning your

first faculty job

Other Topics Animal rights discussion Writing letters to Congress Balancing career and family discussions

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